Note: The city of Hildesheim is situated on the Innerste River in the foothills of the Harz Mountains in the district of Hanover in the German state of Lower Saxony. It lay on trade route between Köln and Magdeburg. A bishopric was founded there by Louis I the Pious, the son of Charlemagne. The city flourished under the prelates Bernward and Gotthard in the 11th century, and it had joined Hanseatic League by the time it received its charter in 1300. The city accepted the Protestant Reformation in 1542, though its bishops continued as princes of the Holy Roman Empire until 1803, when Prussia annexed the city. It changed hands again in 1815, passing into the possession of Hanover. It lost most of its historic architecture during the bombing of World War II, but a few have been reconstructed, among them the cathedral, with art treasures from the 11th century, and St, Michael's Church, which has a 12th century-painted ceiling. Other surviving structures are the Gothic town hall, St. Gotthard's Church, and the Tempelhaus, built 1484-90. Its industries include the manufacture of agricultural equipment, radio and television equipment, and cooking stoves. The 2004 estimated population was 103,500.